To what extent can scientific engineering be damaging ?

Tuesday, 31st January. 

Mission 3: To what extent can scientific engineering be damaging?

Scientific innovations and responsibility

Fiction and realities

Vocabulary :

scientific engineering : les manipulations génétiques 

To approve of = to agree with= to support

A topical issue = un sujet de société (qui fait débat)

A feature of our society = un trait existant dans notre société

A scientist = un(e) scientifique

To meet the standards prescribed by sociey = to fit the mould (=rentrer dans le moule= correspondre à la norme)

Standardisation is the process of making something conform to a norm

To criticize standardization

 A warehouse = un entrepôt

1.Cartoon one ODD MAN OUT

This cartoon is entitled “Odd man out”. The scene takes place in a plant (= a factory) or a warehouse where clones are made on a conveyor belt at a large scale.

They all look muscular in their pants apart from (=except) one replica of a man who looks skinnier. As he doesn’t fit the mould, he is about to be thrown away into the “clones and us rejects “bin.

I guess the cartoonist wants to make us reflect on mass production and mainstream standards that select and discard people according to their physical appearance.

The cartoonist gives a frightening illustration of the excesses of genetic engineering that aims at improving humans by getting rid of its flaws (= defects) and denounces this method.

Help:

to discard = to reject, to get rid of

genetic engineering = genetic manipulation

a flaw = a defect

to be about to = to be on the verge of Ving

Mainstream standards = normes les plus courantes

2.Cartoon two: “What’s the big deal?”

This cartoon was drawn by Dick Wright in 2001. It features Frankenstein reading a newspaper whose headline reads: “Human stem cell research debated”.

While reading, he wonders why the topic of human cell research is being debated on, why it has become a topical issue and finally why people make a fuss about it because he sounds convinced that nothing can go wrong.

It seems that he is stupid and unaware of the ravaging consequences genetic engineering could have. This seems rather ironic as he is the perfect illustration of the hazards of genetic manipulation: Frankenstein ‘s story is the best example of this scientific method that has led to the dreadful creation of a monster. Creating such a monster has gone wrong for himself, for his creator –Doctor Frankenstein-as well as for mankind.

So, this document addresses the issue of genetic engineering. I guess the cartoonist wants us to think about its assets and weak points and show how dangerous they can be if no clear limits in research are set.

Help :

Stem cells : cellules souches

A topical issue = un sujet de société

To make a fuss about smthg: faire des histoires à propos de

Ravaging=disastrous =catastrophic, tragic, devastating for, harmful to, detrimental to

Terrible = awful = appalling = dreadful =damaging

To present hazards = to present dangers

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